Truck service bodies provide storage cabinets and other storage, for utility and service trucks. They also provide the ability to mount cranes, welders, compressors and other specialized tools on a truck. They can be mounted on Class 3-8 truck chassis in lieu of a traditional pickup bed. Truck service bodies are commonly used by utility companies to carryout work in the field. The most common arrangement of a service body is to have a plurality of cabinets along the driver and passenger side of the truck. These cabinets are accessible from their respective sides of the vehicle. There is also a bed which is locate between the rows of cabinets
One of the more common accessories found on a truck service body is an air compressor. The compressed air is used to operate various pneumatic tools and lifts. It is beneficial to have one or more air storage tanks mounted on the truck. Traditionally these storage tanks have been mounted to the truck chassis frame. They typically were located in a volume defined by the truck chassis frame or the truck chassis frame and the service body frame. FIG. 1 shows the location of the prior art under the cab of a Class 3, 4 or 5 truck chassis. Here the tank is attached to and is contained in part in a volume defined by the truck chassis frame. It also extends below the truck chassis frame. FIG. 2 shows the prior art location of a compressed air tank on a Class 6, 7 or 8 truck chassis. Here the air tank is mounted at the rear of the truck to the truck chassis frame. It is contained in part in a volume defined by the truck chassis frame and extends up into a volume defined by the service body frame.
Each truck chassis manufacturer has its own unique truck chassis frame. The layout of the truck chassis frame impacts the location and size of the compressed air tanks. This means a different tank and service body frame must be used with each brand of truck. This adds to the amount of inventory a service body manufacturer must keep.
What is needed, therefore, is a tank system that allows for the use of a service body on any truck chassis without consideration of truck chassis manufacturer or relocation of the compressed air tanks.